The Dark Room

Thursday, 29 December 2011

I enjoyed myself so much the other day at Southend pier, today I returned again but this time with my family and Martin Redfern family too. We parked at Chalkwall and made the long walk to the pier in very windy conditions. Once at the pier the wifes and kids headed to the tea rooms and myself and Martin headed over to see the Purple sand still sitting there in the same place as the other day. As it was so windy it was just nice to get some flight shots of the gulls with some ok results. After fish and chips for lunch,we were all treated to a Starling spectacular as we watched hundreds of Starlings go to roost making all sort of shapes as they whizzed over head.

2rd Winter Med gull1st Winter Common gullAdult KittiwakeThe Purple Sandpiper only stayed for about five mins while we were thereTurnstoneSanderling

Tuesday, 27 December 2011

Today I went out with Paulboy and Roger for a couple of hours at Southend. Started off with taking pictures of the Sanderling and Turnstone along the front and then caught the train to the end of the pier for great views of the Purple Sandpiper in roost with the Turnstone and of coarse the beautiful Med Gulls. Took a lot of photos today so here are just some of them.

Sunday, 18 December 2011

I've been busy working all week and all weekend, so not had time to do much birding. However Wednesday lunchtime I had 2 calling Crossbill go over where I was working in South Ockendon. This got me thinking what else I've seen while at work. Well, I am not talking about twitching the Brown Shirke in my lunch break the other year. I mean just by chance looking out of the window or driving to and from work. Here are some birds that I've seen at work : Osprey,Marsh Harrier,Bittern,Red Kite,Med Gull,Waxwing.

Sunday, 11 December 2011

I made my way up to Norfolk yesterday morning to twitch the Western sandpiper at Cley NWT and almost never made it, as my car hit some ice on a bend, for a few seconds it seemed like I was reversing the last two miles there!! Once there though things were much brighter as the sandpiper showed well with a group of Dunlin on a small spit. I was so carried away watching the peep I forgot to take some record shots of it. To me it looked like a well marked miniature Dunlin but fed much more active. I must say I'm glad it stayed as I could'nt get up there last weekend and thought it might do a Friday night bunk. The Green winged teal was on show all the time and both birds were worth the four pound fifty paid for the privilege. After that I stopped off at a few places on the way to Titchwell to try for the Arctic Redpoll but time wasn't on my side as it showed once I left Norfolk after I was there for two hours freezing in the cold. Oh well.....

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Dave, Paul and myself made headlines this week in the Barking and Dagenham Post. Well, not actual headlines page 30!! promoting Barking bay and the birds that can be seen there. So if you have not been there before come along on Saturday morning at 11.00am and the three of us are leading a walk around the site.